Behold the monstrous performance of Denis Lavant by Claire Denis. The movie "Beautiful Work" is now showing for the first time in Japan in a 4K restored version.

Claire Denis' "Beautiful Work," released in 1999, is a significant work in the history of cinema, ranked an impressive 7th in Sight & Sound magazine's "Best Movies of All Time," published in the year 2022.

The film has not been shown in theaters in Japan for a long time, but now it will be shown for the first time in Japan in a 4K restored version. Although the film has just recently opened to the public, here is an overview of the film.

story
Garou is writing his memoirs at his home in Marseille, France. Once a senior sergeant in the Foreign Legion, he was stationed in Djibouti, Africa. While spending time in the hot and dry land, Garou develops a feeling of admiration for his superior officer, Forestier. Then a new recruit, Santan, arrives in the unit. Santan's sociable personality makes him instantly popular, and Garou develops a mixture of jealousy and envy toward him, and eventually wishes to destroy him. One day, Garou orders Santan, who has caused trouble in the unit, to walk home alone from a distant place, but Santan goes missing on the way. Garou is held responsible and is sent back to his home country, where he is court-martialed...

Claire Denis has made numerous masterpieces since her debut in 1988, but she is best known for winning over Japanese fans with "Paris, 18th arrondissement, Night" (1994), an ensemble drama set in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. (1994), an ensemble drama set in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, won over Japanese fans.

Since then, he has continued to cross genres, including his first romantic comedy "Let the Sunshine In" (2017) starring Juliette Binoche, "Gargoyle" (2001) with Vincent Gallo, and "High Life" (2018), his first science fiction film with Robert Pattinson, He has been pursuing his own style.

What all of the films have in common is that they all scoop up the deepest desires and desires of human beings. Sometimes she depicts them so straightforwardly that you want to cover your eyes, and at other times she does so with such a vivid cut that you can almost feel her own personality as a filmmaker, Claire Denis.

This film, "Beautiful Work," is no exception. Starring Denis Lavant, the living legend of French cinema, the film depicts the training days of a foreign legion and the commander who leads them against the backdrop of the African coast.

The sun's rays sparkling on the surface of the water and the skin of the men illuminated by the same light are a sight to behold, while the local women dance under the artificial light. The audience watches with bated breath as the world reflects the era and its politics, even if they are not spoken of in concrete terms.

And, above all, Doni Lavin's physicality never ceases to amaze me. While I am interested in the strength that leads the training, that scene that snorts the contours of the work makes me forget to breathe.

Until then, the image of Doni Lavin had been that of an actor familiar with Leos Carax's films, but this film turned that on its head in a good way, showing a new and terrifying side of him.

There are things that can only be felt by confronting them in a movie theater. Please take this opportunity to see "Beautiful Work 4K Restored Version" directed by Claire Denis.